Bimetallic catalysts for selective ammonia oxidation

ABSTRACT

Catalysts, methods, and systems for treating diesel engine exhaust streams are described. In one or more embodiments, the catalyst comprises a molecular sieve having a silica to alumina ratio (SAR) less than about 30, the molecular sieve including ion-exchanged copper and ion-exchanged platinum. Systems including such catalysts and methods of treating exhaust gas are also provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Exhaust emissions treatment catalysts, systems and methods for internal combustion engines and methods for their manufacture and use with lean burn engines, including diesel engines and lean burn gasoline engines, are disclosed.

BACKGROUND

Diesel engine exhaust is a heterogeneous mixture that contains particulate emissions such as soot and gaseous emissions such as carbon monoxide, unburned or partially burned hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides (collectively referred to as NO_(x)). Catalyst compositions, often disposed on one or more monolithic substrates, are placed in engine exhaust systems to convert certain or all of these exhaust components to innocuous compounds.

Ammonia selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is a NO_(x) abatement technology that will be used to meet strict NO_(x) emission targets in diesel and lean-burn engines. In the ammonia SCR process, NO_(x) (consisting of NO+NO₂) is reacted with ammonia (or an ammonia precursor such as urea) to form dinitrogen (N₂) over a catalyst typically composed of base metals. This technology is capable of NO_(x) conversions greater than 90% over a typical diesel driving cycle, and thus it represents one of the best approaches for achieving aggressive NO_(x) abatement goals.

A characteristic feature of some ammonia SCR catalyst materials is a propensity to retain considerable amounts of ammonia on Lewis and Brønsted acidic sites on the catalyst surface during low temperature portions of a typical driving cycle. A subsequent increase in exhaust temperature can cause ammonia to desorb from the ammonia SCR catalyst surface and exit the exhaust pipe of the vehicle. Overdosing ammonia in order to increase NO_(x) conversion rate is another potential scenario where unreacted ammonia may exit from the ammonia SCR catalyst.

Ammonia slip from the ammonia SCR catalyst presents a number of problems. The odor threshold for NH₃ is 20 ppm in air. Eye and throat irritation are noticeable above 100 ppm, skin irritation occurs above 400 ppm, and the IDLH is 500 ppm in air. NH₃ is caustic, especially in its aqueous form. Condensation of NH₃ and water in cooler regions of the exhaust line downstream of the exhaust catalysts will give a corrosive mixture.

Therefore, it is desirable to eliminate or substantially reduce the ammonia before it can pass into the tailpipe. A selective ammonia oxidation (AMOx) catalyst is employed for this purpose, with the objective to convert the excess ammonia to N₂. The ideal catalyst for selective ammonia oxidation will be able to convert ammonia at all temperatures where ammonia slip occurs in the vehicles driving cycle, and will produce minimal nitrogen oxide byproducts. This latter requirement is particularly critical since any production of NO or NO₂ by the AMOx catalyst decreases the effective NO_(x) conversion of the exhaust treatment system. The AMOx catalyst should also produce minimal N₂O, which is a potent greenhouse gas.

Catalysts comprised of Pt supported on a metal oxide such as γ-alumina are the most active NH₃ oxidation catalysts known, exhibiting NH₃ lightoff temperatures below 250° C. They are highly effective for the removal of NH₃ from a gas stream under oxidizing conditions. However, the selectivity to N₂ is not high enough to be applicable in a vehicle emission system. At 250° C., N₂ selectivity is less than 50%, with the primary co-product of NH₃ oxidation being N₂O. As the temperature increases, N₂ selectivity decreases. At 450° C., a supported Pt catalyst gives N₂ selectivity less than 20%, with the majority of the products consisting of NO and NO₂. Hence, there is a desire for ammonia oxidation catalysts with activity comparable to the supported Pt catalysts but with N₂ selectivity greater than 60% across the temperature range from 250° C. to 450° C., which is the relevant temperature range for a diesel vehicle driving cycle.

SUMMARY

Aspects of the invention pertain to catalysts, methods, and systems for treating exhaust gas.

A first embodiment of a catalyst for oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and NOx, the catalyst comprises an aluminosilicate molecular sieve having a silica-to-alumina ratio (SAR) less than about 30, the molecular sieve comprising ion-exchanged copper and ion-exchanged platinum. In specific embodiments, the SAR may be less than about 10 or 6. In one or more embodiments, the catalyst further comprises an amount of zerovalent or metallic platinum.

In one or more embodiments, the platinum is added to the catalyst by a cation-exchange process of a platinum complex precursor. Exemplary platinum precursors can be selected from the group comprising a tetraammineplatinum (II) salt, a tetraammineplatinum (IV) salt, a tetrachloroplatinum (II) salt, a hexachloroplatinum (IV) salt, platinum hydroxides, platinum hydrates, platinum bis(acetylacetonates), and combinations thereof.

The aluminosilicate molecular sieve may comprise a zeolite having a crystal framework types selected from FAU, MFI, MOR, BEA, HEU, and OFF.

In one or more embodiments, the catalyst is capable of catalyzing substantially complete conversion of ammonia at about 250° C. In an embodiment, the catalyst is capable of providing greater than about 60% selectivity for oxidizing the ammonia to dinitrogen at about 250° C. According to one or more embodiments, the catalyst is capable of providing greater than about 60% selectivity for oxidizing the ammonia to dinitrogen at about 400° C.

Another aspect of the invention pertains to a method for treating emissions produced in the exhaust gas stream of a diesel or lean-burn vehicle, the method comprising passing a vehicle's engine exhaust stream through at least a NO_(x) abatement catalyst; and passing the exhaust stream exiting the NO_(x) abatement catalyst and containing ammonia through an oxidation catalyst, the oxidation catalyst comprising molecular sieve having ion-exchanged platinum and ion-exchanged copper, the molecular sieve having silica to alumina ratio (SAR) less than about 15. According to one or more embodiments, the NOx abatement catalyst is selected from one or more of an SCR catalyst, a lean NO_(x) trap catalyst, or other catalyst for the destruction of NO_(x) that results in slippage of ammonia from the NO_(x) abatement catalyst.

In a specific embodiment, the NO_(x) abatement catalyst and oxidation catalyst composition are disposed on separate substrates. Alternatively, in other embodiments, the NO_(x) abatement catalyst and the oxidation catalyst are disposed on the same substrate.

Another aspect of the invention pertains to a system for treating an exhaust gas stream comprising an SCR catalyst in communication with the exhaust gas stream; an ammonia or ammonia precursor injection port in communication with the exhaust gas stream and located upstream from the SCR catalyst; and a catalyst for oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and NOx as described herein in communication with the exhaust gas stream and located downstream from the SCR catalyst.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of an embodiment of an emission treatment system;

FIG. 2A shows a transmission electron micrograph image at 20,000× magnification of a Pt+beta zeolite catalyst prepared by ion-exchange of [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺, and the inset shows detail of Pt particles;

FIG. 2B shows a transmission electron micrograph image at 50,000× magnification of a Pt+beta zeolite catalyst prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of a Pt(IV) complex, and the inset shows detail of Pt particles;

FIG. 3 shows a plot of NH₃ percent conversion (solid lines) and N₂ percent selectivity (dashed lines) as a function of temperature for comparative example 1D (circles) and example 1G (squares);

FIG. 4 shows plot of NH₃ percent conversion at 250° C. (circles), and N₂ percent selectivity at 250° C. (squares) and 400° C. (triangles) as a function of temperature for the comparative example 1D (0 Cu), and the examples 1E (1.12 wt % Cu), 1F (2.12 wt % Cu), 1G (3.19 wt % Cu); and

FIG. 5 shows a plot of NH₃ percent conversion as a function of temperature for examples 1E and 1H (circles), and 1J and 1K (squares) in the fresh state (solid lines) and aged state (dashed).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing several exemplary embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction or process steps set forth in the following description. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways.

As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to “a catalyst” includes a mixture of two or more catalysts, and the like.

As used herein, the term “abate” means to decrease in amount and “abatement” means a decrease in the amount, caused by any means. Where they appear herein, the terms “exhaust stream” and “engine exhaust stream” refer to the engine out effluent as well as to the effluent downstream of one or more other catalyst system components including but not limited to a diesel oxidation catalyst and/or soot filter.

As used herein, “ion-exchanged” or “metal-exchanged” (e.g. “copper-exchanged”) means that a metal is supported on or in a molecular sieve material. At least some of the metal is in ionic form, and in one or more embodiments, a portion of the metal may be in the zerovalent or metallic form or may be in the form of metal oxide aggregates. As referred to herein, weight percent of a metal in catalyst refers to the ratio of the weight of a particular metal, for example copper or platinum, to the weight of a washcoat layer in which that metal is supported.

Aspects of the invention pertain to catalysts, methods, and systems for treating exhaust gas. In one embodiment a catalyst for oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and NO_(x), the catalyst comprises an aluminosilicate molecular sieve having a silica-to-alumina ratio (SAR) less than about 30, for example less than about 10, and more particularly, less than about 6. In some embodiments, a catalyst having less than about 1% Pt by weight and less than about 5% copper by weight supported on a molecular sieve by ion-exchange provides substantially complete conversion of ammonia at temperatures less than about 250° C. In one or more embodiments, the catalysts have a selectivity greater than about 60% for oxidizing the ammonia to nitrogen at about 250° C. and at about 400° C.

According to one or more embodiments, the catalyst may be disposed on a monolithic substrate as a washcoat layer. As used herein and as described in Heck, Ronald and Robert Farrauto, Catalytic Air Pollution Control, New York: Wiley-Interscience, 2002, pp. 18-19, a washcoat layer comprises a compositionally distinct layer of material disposed on the surface of the monolithic substrate or another washcoat layer. A catalyst can contain one or more washcoat layers, and each washcoat layer can have unique catalytic functions. In one or more embodiments, the total loading of the molecular sieve on the substrate is in the range of about 0.3 g/in³ and about 3.0 g/in³, based on total catalyst volume.

The substrate used in one or more embodiments may include a flow-through honeycomb substrate that comprises a plurality of fine, substantially parallel gas flow passages extending along the longitudinal axis of the substrate. In other embodiments the substrate comprises a wall flow substrate, and the catalyst may be disposed within the porous walls of the wall-flow filter substrate.

Further aspects of the invention are directed to methods and systems for treating emissions produced in the exhaust gas stream of a diesel or lean-burn vehicle. In one embodiment, the method comprises passing a vehicle's engine exhaust stream through at least a NO_(x) abatement catalyst, which may include an SCR catalyst or other NO_(x) abatement device; passing the exhaust stream exiting the NO_(x) abatement catalyst, and possibly containing ammonia, through a selective ammonia oxidation catalyst. In one embodiment, the selective ammonia oxidation catalyst has about 0.2% ion-exchanged Pt by weight and about 3.0% ion-exchanged copper by weight supported on a molecular sieve. In one or more system embodiments, the NO_(x) abatement catalyst and selective ammonia oxidation catalyst composition are disposed on separate substrates. In alternative system embodiments, the NO_(x) abatement catalyst and the selective ammonia oxidation catalyst are disposed on the same substrate.

According to one or more embodiments, ammonia oxidation catalysts are provided. The net ammonia oxidation process to N₂ occurs in two chemically distinct steps. In the first step, NH₃ is converted to NO by reaction with O₂, as shown by the stoichiometric Eq 1.

4NH₃+5O₂→4NO+6H₂O  Eq 1

There is general agreement in the field that NO is the primary product of ammonia oxidation over a supported precious group metal (PGM) catalyst. Dinitrogen is produced in a secondary process that combines unreacted NH₃ with NO or NO₂ (collectively referred to as NO_(x)) according to the stoichiometric Eq 2.

4NO_(x)+4NH₃+(3−2x)O₂→4N₂+6H₂O  Eq 2

Two other secondary processes are important in determining the selectivity of an ammonia oxidation catalyst. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) can be produced from NO according to Eq 3, and NO₂ can be produced according to Eq 4.

2NO_(x)+→N₂O+^((2x−1)/2)O₂  Eq 3

NO+½O₂→NO₂  Eq 4

Equations 1-4 are all usually catalyzed by supported Pt catalysts, and the relative rates of these processes at different temperatures dictates the distribution of oxidation products. Equation 2 is equivalent to the SCR process, and will be catalyzed by any of a number of known SCR catalysts, including copper-containing molecular sieves. Inclusion of a component for catalyzing Eq 2 will generally have the effect to increase the net N₂ selectivity of the catalyst. In some embodiments of the invention, an additional component for catalyzing Eq 2 will be included in the catalyst washcoat. In particular embodiments, the component for catalyzing Eq 2 will be a copper-exchanged molecular sieve. In still more specific embodiments, the PGM will be supported directly on or in the copper-exchanged molecular sieve.

The Substrate

According to one or more embodiments, the substrate for the ammonia oxidation catalyst may be any of those materials typically used for preparing automotive catalysts and will typically comprise a metal or ceramic honeycomb structure. Any suitable substrate may be employed, such as a monolithic flow-through substrate having a plurality of fine, parallel gas flow passages extending from an inlet to an outlet face of the substrate, such that passages are open to fluid flow. The passages, which are essentially straight paths from their fluid inlet to their fluid outlet, are defined by walls on which the catalytic material is coated as a washcoat so that the gases flowing through the passages contact the catalytic material. The flow passages of the monolithic substrate are thin-walled channels which can be of any suitable cross-sectional shape such as trapezoidal, rectangular, square, sinusoidal, hexagonal, oval, circular, etc. Such structures may contain from about 60 to about 1200 or more gas inlet openings (i.e., “cells”) per square inch of cross section (cpsi). A representative commercially-available flow-through substrate is the Corning 400/6 cordierite material, which is constructed from cordierite and has 400 cpsi and wall thickness of 6 mil. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a particular substrate type, material, or geometry.

In alternative embodiments, the substrate may be a wall-flow substrate. Typically, each passage is blocked at one end of the substrate body with a non-porous plug, with alternate passages blocked at opposite end-faces. This requires that gas flow through the porous walls of the wall-flow substrate to pass through the part. Such monolithic substrates may contain up to about 700 or more flow passages per square inch of cross section, although far fewer may be used. For example, the substrate may have from about 7 to 600, more usually from about 100 to 400, cells per square inch. The cells can have cross sections that are rectangular, square, circular, oval, triangular, hexagonal, or are of other polygonal shapes. Wall flow substrates typically have a wall thickness between 0.002 and 0.1 inches. Preferred wall flow substrates have a wall thickness of between 0.002 and 0.015 inches. A representative commercially available wall-flow substrate is the Corning CO substrate, which is constructed from a porous cordierite. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a particular substrate type, material, or geometry.

The ceramic substrate may be made of any suitable refractory material, e.g., cordierite, cordierite-α alumina, silicon nitride, zircon mullite, spodumene, alumina-silica magnesia, zircon silicate, sillimanite, magnesium silicates, zircon, petalite, α alumina, aluminosilicates and the like.

The substrates useful for the bimetallic catalyst composites of embodiments of the present invention may also be metallic in nature and be composed of one or more metals or metal alloys. Exemplary metallic supports include the heat resistant metals and metal alloys such as titanium and stainless steel as well as other alloys in which iron is a substantial or major component. Such alloys may contain one or more of nickel, chromium and/or aluminum, and the total amount of these metals may comprise at least 15 wt. % of the alloy, e.g., 10-25 wt. % of chromium, 3-8 wt. % of aluminum and up to 20 wt. % of nickel. The alloys may also contain small or trace amounts of one or more other metals such as manganese, copper, vanadium, titanium and the like. The metallic substrates may be employed in various shapes such as corrugated sheet or monolithic form. A representative commercially-available metal substrate is manufactured by Emitec. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to a particular substrate type, material, or geometry. The surface of the metal substrates may be oxidized at high temperatures, e.g., 1000° and higher, to form an oxide layer on the surface of the substrate, improving the corrosion resistance of the alloy and facilitating adhesion of the washcoat layer to the metal surface.

Catalyst Composition and Preparation

While the present invention is not to be limited by any particular theory, one or more embodiments of the catalyst are designed based on the following hypotheses: (1) NO is the initial product of NH₃ oxidation according to Eq 1, and the net NH₃ conversion is dictated by the rate for this process; (2) NO is the common intermediate leading to all of the other nitrogen product species according to Eqs 2-4, and N₂ selectivity is dictated by the relative rates of these secondary reactions involving the NO intermediate; (3) utilization of a PGM support that is itself a good SCR catalyst opens up an additional chemical reaction channel that increases the net rate for Eq 2, thereby favoring formation of N₂. These hypotheses together suggest a general paradigm for the design of selective ammonia oxidation catalysts, in which the PGM is supported on or is otherwise directly associated with an SCR component. This approach is distinct from the alternative approaches to the design of bifunctional NH₃ oxidation catalysts in which a PGM is placed on a support that is chemically and physically independent of the SCR component. The former approach has several advantages over the latter. It simplifies catalyst manufacture since only a single washcoat layer is required. It is readily amenable to situations where two catalyst layers are not feasible, such as in a wall-flow filter. Finally, it places all of the catalytic functions in close physical proximity (on the same support), which should improve selectivity to the desired N₂ product.

One or more embodiments of the invention utilize a molecular sieve, and particularly, a zeolitic molecular sieve support having a low silica-to-alumina ratio (SAR). By decreasing the SAR, the number of ion-exchange sites per gram of zeolite is increased. This decreases the probability that a Cu ion will move from an ion-exchange site to form an aggregate with a platinum active site. The generally accepted paradigm that increasing SAR increases catalytic stability thus teaches away from the process and catalysts of the present invention. A second strategy employed in some embodiments is to fix the copper on the molecular sieve by calcination at high temperature prior to applying the platinum precursor. This also minimizes the probability that a copper ion not associated with an ion exchange site on the molecular sieve (hereafter referred to as free copper) will migrate to a platinum active site.

It is also desired that copper speciation is controlled. Free Cu²⁺ present during the Pt ion-exchange process or during the catalyst coating process leads to catalysts with low activity and/or poor hydrothermal stability. According to one or more embodiments, catalyst stability vis-a-vis NH₃ conversion is increased by a high density of H⁺ sites on the support, which favors dispersion of copper as discrete Cu²⁺ sites rather than as oxide aggregates. This prevents formation of inactive Pt_(x)Cu_(1−x)O ensembles.

Based on the design criteria above, a catalyst according to one or more embodiments of the invention can be prepared by ion-exchange of an aqueous metal precursor on a molecular sieve having a low SAR, followed ion-exchange of an aqueous platinum precursor. In the first step, a metal from one of the groups VB, VIB, VIIB, VIIIB, IB, or IIB of the periodic table can be dissolved in a suitable solvent, e.g. water. Generally, from the point of view of economics and environmental aspects, aqueous solutions of soluble compounds or complexes of the metal are preferred. Exemplary metals include copper (group IB) and iron (group VIIB). For purposes of the present invention, the term “metal precursor” means any compound, complex, or the like which, can be dispersed on the molecular sieve support to give a catalytically-active metal component. For the exemplary Group IB metal copper, suitable complexes or compounds include, but are not limited to anhydrous and hydrated copper sulfate, copper nitrate, copper acetate, copper acetylacetonate, copper oxide, copper hydroxide, and salts of copper ammines (e.g. [Cu(NH3)₄]²⁺). A representative commercially-available copper source is 97% copper acetate from Strem Chemicals, Inc., which may contain traces of other metals, particularly iron and nickel. However, it will be understood that this invention is not restricted to metal precursors of a particular type, composition, or purity. The desired molecular sieve can then be added to the solution of the metal component to form a suspension. Exemplary molecular sieves include, but are not limited to, zeolites having one of the following crystal structures: CHA, BEA, FAU, MOR, MFI.

This suspension can be allowed to react so that the copper component is distributed on the molecular sieve. In some cases, the suspension may be heated to increase the rate for ion-exchange and to more effectively distribute the copper ions. This may result in the copper ions being preferentially distributed in the pore channels of the molecular sieve, as well as on the outer surface of the molecular sieve. Copper may be distributed as copper (II) ions, copper (I) ions, or as copper oxide. After the copper is distributed on the molecular sieve, the molecular sieve can be separated from the liquid phase of the suspension, washed, and dried. It may also be calcined at high temperature to fix the copper, which increases the NH₃ activity of the finished catalyst as noted previously.

In a second preparation step, a platinum precursor in is dissolved in a suitable solvent, e.g. water. Generally, from the point of view of economics and environmental aspects, aqueous solutions of soluble compounds or complexes of the platinum are preferred. Typically, the platinum precursor is utilized in the form of a compound or complex to achieve dispersion of the precursor on the support. For purposes of the present invention, the term “platinum precursor” means any compound, complex, or the like which, upon calcination or initial phase of use thereof, decomposes or otherwise converts to a catalytically active form. Platinum complexes or compounds include, but are not limited to platinum chlorides (e.g. salts of [PtCl₄]²⁻, [PtCl₆]²⁻), platinum hydroxides (e.g. salts of [Pt(OH)₆]²⁻), platinum ammines (e.g. salts of [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺, [Pt(NH₃)₄]⁴⁺), platinum hydrates (e.g. salts of [Pt(OH₂)₄]²⁺), platinum bis(acetylacetonates), and mixed compounds or complexes (e.g. [Pt(NH₃)₂(Cl)₂]). Cationic platinum complexes are preferred in order to effectively exchange with the mobile cations associated with the molecular sieve. A representative commercially-available cationic platinum source is 99% ammonium hexachloroplatinate from Strem Chemicals, Inc., which may contain traces of other precious metals. However, it will be understood that this invention is not restricted to platinum precursors of a particular type, composition, or purity. The molecular sieve may be suspended in a suitable vehicle (e.g. water) and reacted with the platinum precursor in solution. Exemplary molecular sieves, include, but are not limited to, zeolites having one of the following crystal structures: CHA, BEA, FAU, MOR, MFI. Additional processing steps may include fixation by an acidic component (e.g. acetic acid) or a basic component (e.g. ammonium hydroxide), chemical reduction (e.g. by hydrogen), or calcination. The two steps together give a molecular sieve that contains copper and platinum, which should be physically separated on the molecular sieve according to the design paradigms outlined previously.

The Washcoat Layer

According to one or more embodiments, the catalyst is applied as a washcoat layer which is deposited upon, i.e., coated upon and adhered to, the substrate. To apply the catalyst layer to the substrate, finely divided particles of the catalyst, comprising the platinum component and/or the metal zeolite component, are suspended in an appropriate vehicle, e.g., water, to form a slurry. Other promoters and/or stabilizers and/or surfactants may be added to the slurry as mixtures or solutions in water or a water-miscible vehicle. In one or more embodiments, the slurry is comminuted to result in substantially all of the solids having particle sizes of less than about 10 microns, i.e., between about 0.1-8 microns, in an average diameter. The comminution may be accomplished in a ball mill, continuous Eiger mill, or other similar equipment. In one or more embodiments, the suspension or slurry has a pH of about 2 to less than about 7. The pH of the slurry may be adjusted if necessary by the addition of an adequate amount of an inorganic or an organic acid to the slurry. Care should be taken that no species are added to the slurry that might coordinate to and mobilize copper. The solids content of the slurry may be, e.g., about 20-60 wt. %, and more particularly about 35-45 wt. %. The substrate may then be dipped into the slurry, or the slurry otherwise may be coated on the substrate, such that there will be deposited on the substrate a desired loading of the catalyst layer. Thereafter, the coated substrate is dried at about 100° C. and calcined by heating, e.g., at 300-650° C. for about 1 to about 3 hours. Drying and calcination are typically done in air. The coating, drying, and calcination processes may be repeated if necessary to achieve the final desired loading of the catalyst on the support. In some cases, the complete removal of the liquid and other volatile components may not occur until the catalyst is placed into use and subjected to the high temperatures encountered during operation.

After calcining, the catalyst loading can be determined through calculation of the difference in coated and uncoated weights of the substrate. As will be apparent to those of skill in the art, the catalyst loading can be modified by altering the solids content of the coating slurry and slurry viscosity. Alternatively, repeated immersions of the substrate in the coating slurry can be conducted, followed by removal of the excess slurry as described above. In a specific embodiment, the loading of the washcoat layer upon the substrate is between about 0.2 to about 3.0 g/in³, or typically about 1.0 to 2.5 g/in³.

Method for Treating Emissions

According to one or more embodiments of the invention, methods for treating emissions produced in the exhaust gas stream of a lean-burn or diesel vehicle are provided. The NO_(x) abatement catalyst of one or more embodiments comprises a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalyst, or other catalyst for the destruction of NO_(x) that results in a possible emission or slippage of ammonia from the NO_(x) abatement catalyst.

The NO_(x) abatement catalyst and oxidation catalyst composition can be disposed as a washcoat layer on the same or separate substrates. Furthermore, the SCR catalyst and the selective ammonia oxidation catalyst may be in the same catalyst housing or may be in different catalyst housings.

The engine treatment system according to one or more embodiments includes a metering system for metering ammonia, or an ammonia precursor, or a mixture of different ammonia precursors continuously or at periodic intervals into the exhaust stream.

One embodiment of an inventive emission treatment system is schematically depicted in FIG. 1. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the exhaust containing gaseous pollutants (including unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and NO_(x)) and particulate matter is conveyed through emissions treatment system denoted as 11. The exhaust, containing gaseous pollutants (including unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and NO_(x)) and particulate matter, is conveyed from the engine 19 to a position downstream in the exhaust system where a reductant, i.e., ammonia or an ammonia-precursor, is added to the exhaust stream. The reductant is injected as a spray via a nozzle (not shown) into the exhaust stream. Aqueous urea shown on one line 25 can serve as the ammonia precursor which can be mixed with air on another line 26 in a mixing station 24. Valve 23 can be used to meter precise amounts of aqueous urea which are converted in the exhaust stream to ammonia.

The exhaust stream with the added ammonia is conveyed to the SCR catalyst substrate 12. On passing through the substrate 12, the NO_(x) component of the exhaust stream is converted through the selective catalytic reduction of NO_(x) with NH₃ to N₂ and H₂O. In addition, excess NH₃ that emerges from the inlet zone can be converted through oxidation by a downstream ammonia oxidation catalyst 16 to convert the ammonia to N₂ and H₂O

Without intending to limit the invention in any manner, embodiments of the present invention will be more fully described by the following examples.

Examples 1A-1T Catalyst Preparation

The general preparation of a Pt+Cu on zeolite catalyst was accomplished by a sequential ion-exchange of Cu²⁺ followed by a cationic platinum complex. In one example, a copper-exchanged Y-zeolite was prepared by first dissolving 75 g (375 mmol) copper acetate hydrate in 1250 mL deionized water, ensuring that all of the copper acetate had dissolved. To the resulting blue solution, 500 g (volatile free solids basis) of Zeolyst CBV500 Y-type zeolite was added slowly, giving a solid content of about 30% by weight in the suspension. The pH was adjusted to 4.5 (±0.1) and the suspension was agitated for 24 hrs at room temperature. The pH was readjusted to 4.5 (±0.1), and the sample allowed to stir for one hour more. The solids were collected by filtration, re-suspended, stirred for 10 minutes, and then recollected by filtration. The resulting filter cake was washed three times with deionized water. The wet powder was dried at 130° C. overnight, and then calcined at 640° C. for one hour. Compositional analysis of the calcined solid gave a copper content of 3.0% (volatile free, copper metal basis).

A solution containing 0.37 g (1.9 mmol) Pt, as [Pt(NH₃)₄][OH]₂), was prepared in 100 mL deionized water. Use of the hydroxide precursor has the advantage that the only coproduct of the platinum exchange process is water. To 375 mL deionized water was added 195 g of the calcined copper-exchanged zeolite. The platinum-containing solution was added dropwise to the zeolite suspension over the course of at least one hour. Two drops of concentrated nitric acid were added to decrease the pH to 5.0. The solid was collected by filtration, resuspended in 500 mL deionized water, and stirred for 10 minutes. After recollecting the solid, the powder was dried at 130° C. overnight. Compositional analysis gave 3.0% Cu and 0.23% Pt (volatile free, metal basis). The platinum-exchange process resulted in no measureable loss of copper from the original copper-exchanged zeolite sample. Furthermore, the platinum content of the final zeolite was exactly that expected if all of the platinum added was associated with the zeolite. Compositional analysis of the mother liquor from the platinum-exchange process showed no evidence for soluble platinum, indicating very good control of platinum speciation.

To prepare a catalyst for reactor testing, the catalyst powder was suspended in deionized water and milled to give a target particle size typically in the range of ×90=5-10 μm. To improve adhesion of the catalyst powder to the substrate, a colloidal zirconia binder was typically added to the slurry. The colloidal zirconia has the additional effect of decreasing the viscosity and enabling coating of catalysts at higher solids content. Control of the copper speciation in the slurry is desired to prevent resolubilization of copper, as labile copper results in poor activity. Minimization of soluble Cu²⁺ was accomplished by keeping the pH above 4, and by making sure that no species such as acetate are present that can complex Cu²⁺. A ceramic monolith of dimensions 1.0 inch OD and 3.0 inch long, 400/6.5 cell geometry, was then dipped into the slurry for several seconds, removed, and drained. Excess slurry was removed using a stream of compressed air. The wet catalyst sample was first dried at 130° C., and then fired in air at about 600° C.

Unless otherwise noted, all catalysts were tested as fully-realized monoliths having a cell dimension of 400 cpsi and a wall thickness of 6.5 mil. Prior to testing, the monolith was shaved to a square cross-section having approximately 144 intact channels. Catalyst samples were placed in a four-chamber model gas reactor. The standard inlet gas conditions were as follows: NH₃=500 ppm, NO=0, O₂=10% (delivered as air), H₂O=5%, balance=N₂. The total gas flow was adjusted for each sample to give a gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) of 100,000/hr. Standard temperature conditions were 200, 215, 230, 245, and 400° C. Catalysts were tested in a fresh state and after an aging procedure at 750° C. for 5 hr in a feed stream containing 10% water in air. The aging procedure was designed to mimic the hydrothermal thermal stress after a substantial fraction of the catalyst lifetime on the vehicle.

Catalysts designed according the one or more embodiments of the invention have demonstrated high NH₃ conversions and high N₂ selectivity in the fresh state. Hydrothermal stability in such catalysts has been more elusive, particularly where the SCR component onto which Pt is distributed contains copper. Previous experience has shown that addition of exogenous copper to a platinum-impregnated iron-beta zeolite gives a catalyst with very high N₂ selectivity and a T₅₀ for NH₃ lightoff between 250° C. and 300° C. in the fresh state. After hydrothermal aging as low as 650° C., the T₅₀ moves to greater than 350° C., and after aging at a more realistic temperature of 750° C., T₅₀ is greater than 400° C. A compositionally simpler catalyst 1Q, comprising copper-exchanged beta zeolite post-treated with platinum by ion-exchange, gave fresh NH₃ conversion of 95% at 250° C., but the conversion after aging was zero, 1R. The loss in activity after aging is due to the presence of copper since the comparative catalysts 1N, 1O, and 1P without copper clearly demonstrate that Pt on hydrogen-form beta zeolite is highly active and stable to 800° C. This suggests that copper can interact with platinum to form a local aggregate that is less active for NH₃ oxidation than platinum alone. Therefore, one of the important factors in the design of platinum catalysts supported on copper-containing materials is to minimize these negative interactions, primarily by insuring that platinum and copper active sites remain physically separated.

Table 1 shows NH₃ activity data for 0.2 wt % Pt (metal basis) supported on beta zeolite, prepared either by direct incipient wetness impregnation of an anionic Pt(IV) precursor (comparative examples 1L and 1M) or by solution ion-exchange at pH 4-5 using [Pt(NH₃)₄][OH]₂ (comparative examples 1N, 1O, and 1P). In the fresh state, the NH₃ conversion at 250° C. for the impregnated catalyst 1L is only 64% whereas it is 93% for the ion-exchanged catalyst 1N. After a hydrothermal aging procedure at 750° C. designed to mimic a substantial fraction of vehicle lifetime, the impregnated catalyst 1M converts only 7% of the NH₃ at 250° C., while the ion-exchanged catalyst 1O still converts 95% of the NH₃ (1O). The ion-exchanged catalyst still converts more than 90% of the NH₃ after hydrothermal aging at 800° C. (1P).

The higher activity and higher stability of the ion-exchanged catalyst is associated with Pt morphology different from the impregnated catalyst. FIG. 2A shows a 200 keV transmission electron micrograph (TEM) image, 20,000× magnification, of the [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ion-exchanged catalyst after preparative calcination at 450° C. This sample is equivalent to comparative example 1N in Table 1. The inset in FIG. 2A shows detail of Pt particles. The Pt exists as large, well-faceted particles with dimensions between 10 nm and 50 nm. In FIG. 2B, the image is 200 keV transmission electron micrograph, 50,000× magnification, of 0.2 wt % Pt (metal basis) on beta zeolite prepared by incipient wetness impregnation of [Pt(OH)₆]²⁻, then calcined at 450° C. This sample is equivalent to comparative example 1L. The inset in FIG. 2B shows detail of Pt particles. By contrast with the ion exchanged catalyst, the Pt particles in the impregnated catalyst shown in FIG. 2B are much smaller and less regularly faceted, with average dimensions in the range from 5-10 nm. The observation of higher activity and catalytic stability in the sample having larger Pt particle size is counter to the generally accepted understanding that catalyst activity is favored by high Pt dispersion, and that Pt sintering and particle growth during operation and aging are a primary mechanism for catalyst deactivation. Without limiting the present invention by any particular theory, it is suggested that the NH₃ oxidation reaction on supported Pt catalysts is highly structure sensitive, and preferentially occurs on a particular Pt crystal face rather than an edge or step. By preferentially forming the active Pt crystal face in high yield, the [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ ion-exchange method leads to NH₃ oxidation catalysts that are more active and more stable than compositionally-equivalent catalysts prepared by an impregnation method. Thus the design of one or more of the embodiments incorporates the new understanding that: (1) large, well-faceted Pt particles are the desired morphology to give highly-active NH₃ oxidation catalysts; (2) large, well-faceted Pt particles on molecular sieve supports are more effectively generated by ion-exchange of a Pt precursor relative to the standard impregnation method.

FIG. 3 compares the NH₃ oxidation profile for two catalysts. The comparative example 1D comprises Pt distributed on a low-silica Y zeolite, and shows an activity and selectivity profile consistent with typical Pt-only NH₃ oxidation catalysts. The NH₃ lightoff temperature is below 250° C., and the N₂ selectivity decreases monotonically with increasing temperature. Catalyst 1G comprises Pt distributed on a low-silica Y zeolite onto which had copper had been previously disposed by ion-exchange, as described above. Thus 1G has an equivalent Pt loading to comparative example 1D, but in addition contains 2.5% Cu. The catalyst of example 1G gives an identical NH₃ conversion profile as for Comparative Example 1D, but the N₂ selectivity is substantially increased relative to the Pt-only catalyst due to the presence of the copper. This is a consequence of the ability of the copper ions in 1A to catalyze Eq 2, so that production of N₂ is kinetically competitive with N₂O production or NO_(x) desorption. These data thus confirm the validity of the general paradigm for the design of selective NH₃ oxidation catalysts using an SCR catalyst as a support.

TABLE 1 Activity of Pt supported on zeolites and metal-exchanged zeolites as a function of composition, structure, and preparative method. Aging NH₃ N₂ NH₃ N₂ Zeolite washct Temp/ conv. sele. conv. sel. structure Pt Pt Cu loading time/ %, % %, %, Ex. type^(a) SAR^(b) method ppm^(c) %^(d) g/in³ H₂O^(e) 250° C. 250° C. 400° C. 400° C. 1A FAU 5.2 EX^(f) 1925 2.02 1.493 fresh 98 73 98 69 1B FAU 5.2 EX 1925 2.02 1.493 750/25/10 98 71 98 48 1C FAU 5.2 EX 1925 2.02 1.479 750/25/0 94 74 98 62 1D FAU 5.2 EX 2239 0   1.441 750/5/10 94 57 98 23 1E FAU 5.2 EX 2107 1.12 1.525 750/5/10 95 62 99 40 1F FAU 5.2 EX 1916 2.12 1.424 750/5/10 93 78 97 53 1G FAU 5.2 EX 2003 3.19 1.483 750/5/10 94 81 98 50 1H FAU 5.2 EX 2107 1.12 1.525 fresh 95 60 98 53 1I FAU 5.2 EX 2328 1.19 1.398 fresh 0 — 19 95 1J FAU 30 EX 1799 0.54 1.61 fresh 58 80 98 46 1K FAU 30 EX 1799 0.54 1.61 750/5/10 7 91 97 58 1L BEA 30 IM^(g) 2000 — 1.487 fresh 64 66 98 42 1M BEA 30 IM 2000 — 1.449 750/25/10 7 74 96 48 1N BEA 30 EX 2340 — 1.695 fresh 93 56 99 47 1O BEA 30 EX 2340 — 1.695 750/25/10 95 54 99 33 1P BEA 30 EX 2340 — 1.695 800/25/10 90 55 98 34 1Q BEA 30 EX 2030 1.42 1.653 fresh 95 95 99 80 1R BEA 30 EX 2030 1.42 1.771 750/25/10 0 — 42 92 1S CHA 30 EX 2271 2.01 1.466 fresh 20 97 98 89 1T CHA 30 EX 2271 2.01 1.449 700/25/10 3 97 87 97 ^(a)As per International Zeolite Association designation ^(b)Silica-to-alumina ratio, defined as SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ^(c)gram Pt/gram washcoat ^(d)gram Cu/gram washcoat ^(e)° C./hour/percent(in air) ^(f)ion exchange using Pt(NH₃)₄ ²⁺ ^(g)incipient wetness impregnation.

Catalysts 1A, 1B, and 1C in Table 1 were prepared as described above. The evaluation data on these samples illustrates the high thermal and hydrothermal stability of the Pt+Cu catalysts on low-silica Y-zeolite. The NH₃ conversion and N₂ selectivity at 250° C. is not affected by aging at 750° C. for 25 hr in the presence or absence of water vapor. There is a small loss in N₂ selectivity at 400° C. after hydrothermal aging in 10% water vapor with the selectivity decreasing from 69% in the as prepared sample 1a to 48% in the hydrothermally aged sample 1b. This probably relates to the physical stability of the Y zeolite under hydrothermal conditions, which is negatively impacted by decreasing SAR. There are thus competing requirements for catalytic stability: (1) maximize the number of ion exchange sites by decreasing SAR. (2) minimize hydrothermal dealumination by increasing SAR. The optimal catalyst must balance these two considerations for each give application.

Catalysts 1D, 1E, 1F, and 1G are Pt+Cu have a common Pt loading between 1916 and 2150 ppm and a range of copper loadings from 0 to 3.0 wt % Cu. FIG. 4 shows NH₃ conversion and N₂ selectivity results plotted against the copper content. All four catalysts give greater than 93% NH₃ selectivity at 250° C. The N₂ selectivity at 250° C. and at 400° C. generally increases with copper content, but there is a plateau in N₂ selectivity near 3.0 wt % Cu. Temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen indicates that above about 3.5% copper, more than one copper species begin exists in the copper-exchanged Y zeolite, which leads to mobile copper ions that can interact with the Pt, decreasing the activity. Thus it is observed that NH₃ conversion suffers at high copper loadings. Therefore, there will be an optimum window of copper loading between 2.5 wt % and 3.5 wt % Cu that will give maximum selectivity while minimizing negative interactions with Pt.

Copper speciation is an important factor in determining catalyst activity. Example 1E was prepared as described above. Example 11 is compositionally similar, but without calcining the Y zeolite powder at 640° C. after ion-exchange with copper acetate. The evaluation data show that the calcination step is important to obtaining an active catalyst. The NH₃ conversion at 250° C. is 95% for the catalyst 1E that was calcined prior to application of the platinum precursor. On the other hand, NH₃ conversion is zero at 250° C. for example 11, which was prepared without calcination prior to application of the platinum precursor. Temperature-programmed reduction by hydrogen showed that this is associated with differences in the copper speciation. In copper-exchanged samples of low-silica Y-zeolite that have not been calcined, the H₂ reduction profile shows no obvious H₂ uptake peaks, but only a broad and non-descript H₂ uptake profile indicative of copper in highly variable local environments. This mobile copper negatively interacts with the platinum during subsequent platinum exchange and coating steps, and the activity of the platinum for NH₃ oxidation consequently is decreased. By contrast, the same samples of copper on low-silica Y-zeolite after calcination at 640° C. show a clean H₂ uptake peak near 300° C., with H₂/Cu stoichiometry of 0.5, indicative of clean one-electron reduction of copper in a well-defined ion-exchange site. This copper is well fixed and is not mobile, as shown by the observation of no copper in the mother liquor after platinum exchange. This prevents interaction of the copper with the platinum component, and results in high NH₃ oxidation activity.

Examples 1H and 1J, comprising Pt+Cu+Y zeolite, were prepared as described above. They have equivalent copper and platinum loadings, but the two catalysts differ in the SAR. Example 1H has a low SAR of 5.2, while example 1J has an SAR of 30. Both catalysts give high activity and good N₂ selectivity in the fresh state, as shown by the solid lines in FIG. 5. Hydrothermal aging of the high-silica catalyst of example 1J to provide example 1K resulted in a large decrease in activity at 250° C., with NH₃ conversion only 7%. By contrast, the hydrothermal aging of the low-silica catalyst example 1H to give example 1G yields still gives 95% conversion at 250° C. These data on two compositionally and structurally identical Pt+Cu+Y-zeolite catalysts show that a lower SAR is a factor in increasing catalyst stability for ammonia oxidation. This teaches away from the prevailing understanding based on other reactions catalyzed by zeolite catalysts, for which stability is favored by a high SAR.

Comparison of activity and N₂ selectivity data for examples 1J, 1Q, and 1S show the effect of changing the zeolite structure from FAU to BEA to CHA, respectively, in Pt+Cu+zeolite NH₃ oxidation catalysts. Example 1Q, based on the high-silica BEA zeolite, gives 95% NH₃ conversion at 250° C., and the high-silica FAU of example 1J gives 58% NH₃ conversion. Example 1S based on the CHA zeolite, gave only 20% NH₃ conversion in the fresh state. The lower activity for the CHA-based catalyst in the fresh state is correlated with a small pore opening radius in the CHA framework (3.8 Å), which is not much larger than the calculated radius of gyration for the [Pt(NH₃)₄]²⁺ precursor (2.6 Å). Without limiting the invention to a particular hypothesis, it is suggested that the Pt precursor cannot enter the pore structure of the CHA zeolite, and so is restricted to electrostatic binding on the outer surface of the CHA crystallites. By contrast, the pore opening radii of BEA (6.6-7.7 Å) and the FAU (7.4 Å) are large enough to permit entry of the Pt precursor into the internal pore volume of the zeolite, and it is postulated that this aids in obtaining high activity in the finished catalyst. Thus the zeolite structure appears to play only a minor role in influencing the catalyst activity, through its effect on the speciation of the initial Pt precursor. After hydrothermal aging to give corresponding examples 1K (FAU), 1R (BEA), and 1T (CHA), none of the samples gives NH₃ conversion greater than 7% at 250° C. The aging results reinforce the role that SAR plays relative to structural factors, and highlights the need to minimize SAR to maintain catalyst stability.

Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “certain embodiments,” “one or more embodiments” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases such as “in one or more embodiments,” “in certain embodiments,” “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment of the invention. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the method and apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention include modifications and variations that are within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 

1.-20. (canceled)
 21. A catalyst for oxidizing ammonia to nitrogen and NOx, the catalyst comprising an aluminosilicate molecular sieve having a silica-to-alumina ratio (SAR) less than 30, the molecular sieve comprising ion-exchanged copper and ion-exchanged platinum, wherein the molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type selected from FAU, MFI, MOR, BEA, HEU, and OFF, and wherein the catalyst is obtainable by a process comprising: (a) ion-exchange of copper on the molecular sieve, (b) calcination of the molecular sieve obtained in (a), and (c) ion-exchange of platinum on the molecular sieve obtained in (b).
 22. The catalyst of claim 21, further comprising an amount of metallic platinum.
 23. The catalyst of claim 22, wherein the aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type selected from FAU, MFI, MOR and BEA.
 24. The catalyst of claim 21, wherein the aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type FAU and the zeolite has a SAR less than
 10. 25. The catalyst of claim 21, wherein the aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type FAU and the zeolite has a SAR less than
 6. 26. The catalyst of claim 21, wherein the catalyst is coated on a refractory ceramic support.
 27. The catalyst of claim 26, wherein the total loading of the molecular sieve in the substrate is in the range of 18.3 g/1l (0.3 g/in3) and 183 g/1l (3.0 g/in3), based on the total catalyst volume.
 28. The catalyst of claim 21, wherein the platinum particle size is in the range of 10-50 nm.
 29. A method for treating emissions produced in the exhaust gas stream of a diesel or lean burn vehicle, the method comprising: passing a vehicle's engine exhaust stream through at least a NOx abatement catalyst; and passing the exhaust stream exiting the NOx abatement catalyst and containing ammonia through an oxidation catalyst according to claim
 21. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the NOx abatement catalyst is selected from one or more of an SCR catalyst, a lean NOx trap catalyst, or other catalyst for the destruction of NOx that results in slippage of ammonia from the NOx abatement catalyst.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type FAU and the SAR is less than
 10. 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the aluminosilicate molecular sieve comprises a zeolite having a crystal framework type FAU and the SAR is less than
 6. 33. A system for treating an exhaust gas stream comprising: an SCR catalyst in communication with the exhaust gas stream; an ammonia or ammonia precursor injection port in communication with the exhaust gas stream and located upstream from the SCR catalyst; and the catalyst of claim 21 in communication with the exhaust gas stream and located downstream from the SCR catalyst. 